Spending two weeks in Iraq in September with Partners Relief and Development was full of God moments each day. We spent time in refugee camps listening to stories of women and families that have suffered trauma being held captive by ISIS. Girls who had to disguise as boys, to escape being sold.

Hearing family members share that their families are still held captive. We sat and listened, giving the Yezidi people the gift of presence. Ears willing to hear their pain and arms ready to hug their wounds. When offering prayer, the women answered out of pure selfless love, not for their own pain, but that we pray for the other women still held captive and in need of freedom.

The Yezidi people of Iraq have endured 75 genocides in their history. They reside in 4 nations of the Middle East because they do not have a nation to call their own. Thousands of women were held captive by ISIS and many men have been killed when their mountain was taken.

What I learned was that everyone had a story to tell; from the hotel man to our driver, so many have been traumatized. Partners Relief and Development is investing in these people through relationship building and bringing in sustainable development to those living in refugee camps. We also spent time at Haven Center, who offer hope to these children through art therapy, play therapy, and giving the children in the camps an education. We attended a training how to work with children who have suffered much trauma. Through the Haven Center we were able to go to one of the poorer areas to help with a pop-up school. They set up schools on Saturday mornings for children who cannot afford school. It was a blessing seeing these children ready to learn.

I have been offered the opportunity to go back to Iraq with Partners Relief and Development in February to invest further in these women and children’s lives who have been traumatized by ISIS.

~ Jenna Biernesser